A two-day National Symposium on Plant Health Management: Current Trends and Novel Mitigation Strategies began at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI)at Sreekaryam here on Monday.
The symposium, attended by around 150 delegates from different parts of the country, is hosted by the CTCRI and the Indian Phytopathological Society (Southern Zone). Kerala University Vice-Chancellor in-charge Mohanan Kunnummal inaugurated the event.
The event offers a platform for researchers, experts, and stakeholders to exchange ideas and collaborate on innovative strategies to ensure the health and productivity of crops in India, the CTCRI said in a statement.
Sessions include the status and future avenues of the role of beneficial microbes in plant health management, diagnostics in plant health management, innovative approaches in plant health management, climate-resilient agriculture and forecasting, and emerging areas in plant pathology.
G. Byju, director, ICAR-CTCRI, presided. Kajal Kumar Biswas, president, Indian Phytopathological Society; Bikash Mandal, additional director general, International Relations, ICAR, New Delhi; S.K. Chakrabarti, former Vice-Chancellor of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya (UBKV), West Bengal; and S. Premkumar, general manager, Canara Bank, Thiruvananthapuram Circle, were among those present.